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Sandy Frank
SANDY FRANK: 1929-2026
Syndicator/Producer of "Name That Tune", "Face the Music"
From Videoage International

Veteran U.S. syndicator Sandy Frank passed away on October 20, and now he’s resting in Putnam Valley, New York. Frank, who “couldn’t retire because I didn’t play golf,” died at the ripe age of 97, still working. VideoAge featured Frank in its “Hall of Fame” feature of October, 2016.

From 1976 through the early part of 1980, Sundel “Sandy” Frank was an imposing figure at MIP-TV markets. Some people still remember the large booth space he rented at the old Palais, and the bus trips he organized during those markets for press and program buyers to visit an orphanage outside Cannes, where he ceremoniously donated a large check each time.

In his “Hall of Fame” feature, Frank recalled: “The biggest challenge I faced when I began my business in the fall of 1964 was surviving alone. The networks controlled all of primetime and the majors controlled all of the early fringe with their off-network programming, so there was virtually no place for an independent [like me] to find a time period for [my] show.

Frank’s career in the entertainment business started in 1949 at Paramount Pictures when, at the age of 20, he served as a part-time booker and sales trainee. Frank recalled that meeting both Sadat and Begin was the highlight of his career, and as an American Jew, he was proud of being in Sadat’s limousine when he announced he would visit Israel in 1977. However, the movie on Begin (based on his 1951 book “The Revolt,” for which Frank paid $100,000) was never made, and Frank blames a former ABC executive who considered Begin a militant terrorist.

Over the course of his career, Frank sold franchises such as Lassie, Name That Tune, and The Dating Game. “I felt very confident that I could sell anything,” Frank said in an interview.

Other shows Frank sold into syndication include game shows Face the Music, The New Treasure Hunt, The Parent Game, and The $1.98 Beauty Show. Outside of game shows, he was known for adapting features and series from Japan for western audiences, such as Gamera (from the Daiei library) and Battle of the Planets (adapted from Tatsunoko's Science Ninja Team Gatchman).

Frank was known to be health conscious and a germophobe, always traveling with lots of medicine. He would send employees home if they sneezed in his presence. Naturally, tobacco smoking was anathema to him.

Frank’s generosity was as well known as his eccentricities. He would lend money to friends in need. He would call friends who were not feeling well to offer medical advice, and at times, even make their doctors’ appointments.

VideoAge International
King David Chapels

posted 11/1/2026

"Million Pound Shot" A Million Pound Hoax
One-Off Special Dramatizes the Dangers of Gambling
From the Sunday Times

On Sunday night, Channel 4 viewers tuned into what they thought was a sleek new quiz show fronted by Bradley Walsh. Contestants were to bet money on general knowledge questions, with the potential to win up to £1 million. The twist: they were betting their own money.

Half an hour into the Million Pound Shot, filmed before a studio audience, one of the contestants, Reece, 30, collapsed on the floor, fighting back tears after losing £6,000.

The show seemed to descend into chaos as an audience member started protesting about the ethics of the game and the broadcast appeared to cut out.

Moments later, Walsh re-emerged on the stage and informed viewers they had just watched a hoax. The contestants, set manager, and even the audience heckler were all actors performing a piece of theatre illustrating the practices of UK gambling companies.

“Everything you’ve seen tonight draws on the techniques used by the gambling industry to manipulate its customers,” he told the stunned studio audience.

The Daily Express
The Mirror
Manchester Evening News
Radio Times
Digital Spy
LadBible
TV Zone
Royal Television Society
Female First
The Sunday Times

Metro

The Mirror

LadBible

posted 11/1/2026

"Celebrity Traitors" Finale Breaks BBC Record
11.23M See the Winner Crowned
From Deadline

The Celebrity Traitors bowed out with record ratings on Friday.

The Claudia Winkleman-fronted BBC series drew an average overnight audience of 11.23 million viewers, topping the previous high of 11 million for last year’s finale.

The 80-minute-long episode peaked with 11.6 million viewers as a winner was crowned. It will almost certainly be the biggest TV audience of the year outside of the FIFA World Cup.

Season 2 of The Celebrity Traitors has not been without its difficulties for the BBC and producer Studio Lambert, not least Richard E. Grant unmasking himself as a traitor early in the game.

Deadline
Variety
The Hollywood Reporter

posted 11/1/2026

LMAD Celebrates Big Money Week
BetMGM-Sponsored Stunt Begins Monday
From TV Insider

Big money is on the line on Let’s Make a Deal, as all week long, contestants have the chance to win $50,000.

See contestants from each day of the week and the game they play for the big jackpot. From November 2 to 6, the CBS game show will feature games that are sponsored by BetMGM. In each of those games, the jackpot will be $50,000.

TV Insider

posted 11/1/2026


CBS
Sir PATRICK STEWART: 1940-2026
Legend of "Star Trek", "X-Men" Franchises Guest-Hosted "HIGNFY"
From Deadline

Sir Patrick Stewart, the star of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Picard, the X-Men film franchise and many other movies, TV shows and stage plays, died October 28 at his home in Los Angeles following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 86. A statement from his rep confirmed the news.

“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” the statement reads. “He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all. We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”

Stewart, the distinguished stage and screen actor and New York Times best-selling author whose career spanned nearly six decades, was a three-time Olivier Award winner and a Tony Award nominee for his stage work, including numerous Shakespeare productions. He won a Grammy in 1995 and received multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for his work across television and film. In the 2001 New Year Honours list, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Stewart an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and in 2010, she knighted him for services to drama. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996.

Born July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, Stewart left school at 15 to perform in local theater and made his professional stage debut in 1959 at the Theatre Royal, Bristol in a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. Stewart became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and in 1967 made his debut TV appearance on Coronation Street . He made his Broadway debut in 1970 as Snout in Peter Brook’s 1970 production A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

With some trepidation for what it would mean for his stage career, Stewart in 1987 took on the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, ensuring his place in TV history and the pop culture landscape and all but eliminated any need to worry over future career opportunities, on stage or otherwise. He played the USS Enterprise captain on the popular syndicated drama for seven seasons from 1987-94 and several film installments, beginning with Star Trek: Generations in 1994. He later reprised the role in the global hit Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard. The series concluded its third and final season in April 2023.

Stewart also was celebrated for his portrayal of Charles Xavier aka Professor X, a role he originated in the 2000 film X-Men and reprised throughout the franchise’s many hit sequels including the hit Logan, opposite Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine. Stewart also reprised the role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, set for release on December 18, marking his eighth time portraying the character.

In his two best-known roles of TNG’s Picard and X-Men’s Professor X, Stewart was both a commanding and introspective presence. Clearly, as both the Enterprise captain on deck and the mutant leader who used a wheelchair, the actor’s distinct and resonating voice held the attention of audiences and Stewart’s fellow actors. However, it was the nuance of both characters, some from the franchises’ respective lore and some created on the small and big screen, that revealed Stewart at his best.

In game shows, Stewart made an appearance as a guest host of the original British version of "Have I Got News For You" in 2017.

Stewart’s many screen credits also include Best Picture Oscar winner CODA; L.A. Story; Green Room; Blunt Talk; Robin Hood: Men in Tights; Conspiracy Theory; I, Claudius; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; The Kid Who Would Be King; Match; The King of Texas; Jeffrey; Dune and Excalibur. Stewart also did voice work on The Simpsons, Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy and American Dad! as such films as The Prince of Egypt, Chicken Little and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

In 2026, Stewart voiced the role of Sir Ritchfield in The Sheep Detectives, opposite X-Men co-star Hugh Jackman as George, a shepherd who reads detective novels to his sheep every night until a mysterious incident forces them to become detectives themselves.

Stewart lent his voice to all 154 of William Shakespeare’s sonnets, including reflections on the narration process, in the 2026 audiobook Patrick Stewart Performs the Complete Sonnets of William Shakespeare. Stewart won a 1995 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for his voice work in the English-language recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.

In 2023, Stewart became a New York Times best-selling author upon the publication of his memoir, Making It So, which chronicles his life from his earliest days in Yorkshire, England and through his long career. The companion audiobook, read by Stewart himself, won an Audie Awards honor for Autobiography/Memoir and was named one of the year’s best celebrity memoir recordings by Audible.

Stewart was a vocal supporter of social justice, women’s rights, domestic abuse advocacy, veterans’ rights, the refugee crisis, animal rights, political reform and much more.

Stewart is survived by wife Sunny Ozell, an American singer he married in 2013; his son, the actor Daniel Stewart; and daughter Sophie.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.

Deadline
TV Line
Variety
TV Insider

posted 10/27/2026


BBC Studios Los Angeles/ABC

"The Next Pro" On the Move?
Report: BBC Studios Looking to LA
From DEadline

Dancing with the Stars is a Hollywood fixture, and the team behind The Next Pro wants the spinoff to join its parent show in Los Angeles.

Deadline reports that BBC Studios is looking to move production of the ABC summer hit to California after its first season was shot in Australia.

The company has filed the paperwork for a California tax credit and is in Phase 2 of the application process as it plans for a second season of the show.

FilmLA Says If successful, it would be a boon for the L.A. production community, which has seen multiple shows move out of the city to cut costs with American Idol becoming the latest big-budget series to move from L.A. to Georgia. Dancing with the Stars, which premiered in 2005, has filmed all 35 seasons of the show in Los Angeles.

Deadline

posted 10/29/2026


Getty
RONNY HALLIN: 1938-2026
Garry & Penny Marshall's Sister Played "Celebrity Family Feud"
From Deadline

Ronny Hallin, sister of the late Garry and Penny Marshall who produced and appeared in Laverne & Shirley, has died. She was 88.

According to Ronny’s daughter Penny Hallin, the beloved sitcom producer “passed away peacefully at home” on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Born Jan. 2, 1938 in New York City, Ronny was the daughter of director and producer Anthony Masciarelli and tap school owner Marjorie Irene. The middle child of fellow Hollywood multi-hyphenate siblings, her old brother was Garry Marshall and her younger sister was Penny Marshall.

Following her onscreen debut role in a 1974 episode of Garry’s ABC sitcom adaptation of The Odd Couple, Ronny appeared as Maxine on Laverne & Shirley in 1982. She also appeared in his movies Frankie and Johnny (1991), Exit to Eden (1994) and Raising Helen (2004).

In 1977, Hallin began producing and casting on some of her brother’s shows, including Blansky’s Beauties, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Joanie Loves Chachi and Happy Days. She also produced on shows like Family Matters, Perfect Strangers and Step by Step.

In game shows, Hallin was featured as a member of Penny Marshall's team on a 2015 episode of Celebrity Family Feud.

Hallin is survived by three daughters.

Deadline

posted 10/29/2026


Getty
ELKE SOMMER: 1940-2026
Bombshell Played Games
From Variety

Elke Sommer, the German-born actress who starred in movies like “A Shot in the Dark,” “Boy, Did I Get the Wrong Number,” “And Then There Were None” and more ’60s and ’70s Hollywood films, died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles, her stepson Sebastian Walther confirmed to German outlet Bild. She was 85.

She died just three months after her husband, Wolf Walther, died of cancer. “Now she can finally be with her beloved husband again,” Sebastian Walther told Bild.

Sommer was born in Berlin on November 5, 1940, while it was under Nazi occupation. Her family fled the capital during World War II and relocated to the small town of Niederndorf. In 1957, Sommer moved to London and became an au pair for the family of actress Vicki Michelle. While on holiday in Italy, Sommer was noticed by director Vittorio De Sica and soon started appearing in films.

She moved to Hollywood in the early ’60s and became a popular pin-up model. Sommer starred in major 1960s films like “The Prize” with Paul Newman; the “Pink Panther” sequel “A Shot in the Dark” with Peter Sellers; “The Art of Love” with James Garner and Dick Van Dyke; “The Oscar” with Stephen Boyd; “Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!” with Bob Hope; “Deadlier Than the Male”; “The Wrecking Crew” with Dean Martin and Sharon Tate; and “The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz.

” In 1964, Sommer won a Golden Globe for most promising newcomer actress for “The Prize.” In the ’70s, her films included “Zeppelin” with Michael York, the Agatha Christie adaptation of “Ten Little Indians,” “Baron Blood,” “Lisa and the Devil” and the British comedy “Carry On Behind.”

In game shows, Sommer featured on episodes of The Hollywood Squares, Body Language, and the German version of Pyramid.

Stewart’s many screen credits also include Best Picture Oscar winner CODA; L.A. Story; Green Room; Blunt Talk; Robin Hood: Men in Tights; Conspiracy Theory; I, Claudius; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; The Kid Who Would Be King; Match; The King of Texas; Jeffrey; Dune and Excalibur. Stewart also did voice work on The Simpsons, Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy and American Dad! as such films as The Prince of Egypt, Chicken Little and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

In 2026, Stewart voiced the role of Sir Ritchfield in The Sheep Detectives, opposite X-Men co-star Hugh Jackman as George, a shepherd who reads detective novels to his sheep every night until a mysterious incident forces them to become detectives themselves.

Stewart lent his voice to all 154 of William Shakespeare’s sonnets, including reflections on the narration process, in the 2026 audiobook Patrick Stewart Performs the Complete Sonnets of William Shakespeare. Stewart won a 1995 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for his voice work in the English-language recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.

In 2023, Stewart became a New York Times best-selling author upon the publication of his memoir, Making It So, which chronicles his life from his earliest days in Yorkshire, England and through his long career. The companion audiobook, read by Stewart himself, won an Audie Awards honor for Autobiography/Memoir and was named one of the year’s best celebrity memoir recordings by Audible.

Stewart was a vocal supporter of social justice, women’s rights, domestic abuse advocacy, veterans’ rights, the refugee crisis, animal rights, political reform and much more.

Stewart is survived by wife Sunny Ozell, an American singer he married in 2013; his son, the actor Daniel Stewart; and daughter Sophie.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.

Variety
Page Six
AP
The Guardian

posted 10/29/2026

Thursday Lightning Round
... or "Ad Astra Per Aspera"

  • Shirley Ballas would love to be a permanent judge on DWTS (Parade)

  • TBS, CJ ENM show up, show out in TIFFCOM (Variety)

  • Byron Allen mames a mint selling his share of Starz (Variety)

  • The Celebrity Traitors UK finishes a stunted season with a record high (The Hollywood Reporter)

  • FIRST LOOK: Love Island Australia season 8 (Hulu, today) (Swooon)

  • Clare Crawley wanted to finish her "Bachelor" journey, but she alleges she was psuhed out (Reality TV World)

  • MOMENT OF AWESOME: When she said she was getting married right after appearing on Jeopardy!, she wasn't lying! (TV Insider)


posted 10/29/2026


BBC Studios Los Angeles/ABC

Addressing the Elephant on the Dance Floor
Carrie Ann Inaba Speaks Out
From Deadline

It was all professional between Carrie Ann Inaba and pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy on the Dancing with the Stars set after all the drama. The judge and the contestant hugged it out on the set of the ABC dance competition, a moment that has now gone viral, which you can see in the link below.

It was Chmerkovskiy’s first week back on the show after his week’s suspension following comments directed at Inaba.

On the October 13 episode, Inaba pointed out lifts in Jenna Johnson’s performance. During the episode, Inaba and Johnson had a tense exchange about the definition of a lift. Chmerkovskiy, who is married to Johnson, posted a shady comment on social media saying, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The comment referenced Will Smith taking the Oscar stage and slapping Chris Rock to defend his wife.

After the comment, Chmerkovskiy earned a one-week suspension, with BBC Studios calling the pro-dancer’s social media post “inappropriate” and not reflecting “the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show.”

Chmerkovskiy has since then deleted his social media comment and apologized to Inaba, saying, “In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention. Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.”

As for Inaba, she shared a social media post recently where she said that “Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show,” adding, “Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment. It came to my attention later that Jenna was deeply hurt. So I also offered to speak with her at anytime. I have also offered to discuss the lift rule and how I enforce it.”

Deadline
The Wrap
TV Insider
Reality TV World
Deadline
The Hollywood Reporter
Variety

posted 10/28/2026


Warner Horizon TV/ABC

Warners Sends Fox Nation a C&D Over "The Vow"
Chris Harrison Calls It "Jealousy"
From Deadline

Chris Harrison is pushing back against a cease-and-desist letter over his new dating show, The Vow, after it drew comparisons to his previous show, The Bachelor.

In a recent interview, the television host had some words for his former bosses.

“Sounds like somebody misses somebody really bad,” Harrison told Entertainment Tonight. “Jealousy is a tough thing. Green’s not a great color on anybody, is it?”

On September 16, Fox Nation released a teaser for dating reality series The Vow, which had several nods to The Bachelor. The six-episode series premieres November 11, with Harrison hosting.

On October 1, Warner Bros., owner of the Bachelor franchise, sent a cease-and-desist letter, claiming the teaser used the studio’s IP without authorization.

“As far as I can recollect, I don’t know any other reality dating shows they’ve gone after,” Harrison told ET. “So, you know, is it coincidence that they just happened to be coming after [me]? I take it as a sign of respect.”

Harrison echoed a similar sentiment in October when he talked about the situation with USA Today, saying, “I don’t see them going after the 50, 60, 70 other relationship dating shows that have come on in the time that I was there or since I left. There’s been one show that they’ve gone after. Is that a coincidence? You be the judge.”

The Futon Critic
The Hollywood Reporter
Variety
The Wrap
Deadline
Swooon
Deadline
The Wrap
Variety
Deadline
Deadline
Entertainment Now

posted 10/28/2026

Wednesday Lightning Round
... or "No Funny, No Money!"

  • FIRST LOOK: The Ms. Pat-hosted "America's Funniest People" reboot (VH1, November 16) (Deadline)

  • Jenn Tran soft-launches a new relationship (Reality TV World)

  • Tyler Cameron storms off the dance floor (Reality TV World)


posted 10/28/2026


BBC Studios LA/Fox

Back to School
Fox Renews "Nation's Dumbest" for Second Season
From the Futon Critic

FOX today announced a second-season order for summer breakout Nation's Dumbest, the hit celebrity competition series that flips the traditional format on its head - because it's the only show where winning is the last thing anyone wants. Hosted by acclaimed comedian Jack Whitehall, the series will return to FOX for a new season of pop quizzes, physical challenges and classroom chaos, as a fresh group of celebrities compete to avoid earning the distinction no one wants: the title of The Nation's Dumbest.

Nation's Dumbest is FOX's most watched summer debut in four years and highest-rated debut in three years. In addition, Nation's Dumbest is broadcast's highest-rated freshman summer series since 2022.

"The smartest thing about Nation's Dumbest is that it never forgot the assignment: to have universally relatable fun," said Michael Thorn, President of FOX Entertainment Network. "Blending Jack Whitehall's wit with a class of celebrities fully committed to the joke made for a standout summer hit. Our partners at BBC have constructed an original format that's entertaining, accessible and distinctively FOX, so a sophomore season was a no-brainer."

"I'm so thrilled at the incredible response to the show and am very excited at the opportunity to get a whole new class of celebrities to torment in season 2!" said Whitehall.

"FOX has a long, distinguished history of broadcasting cultural milestones. I'm so proud to say that Nation's Dumbest is not one of them. We're thrilled by America's response to the first season and so happy with what Jack and our entire team brought to life. We couldn't be more excited to partner with FOX on a new season that's even dumber, even bigger, and even dumber," said Ryan O'Dowd, President, BBC Studios Global Productions Los Angeles.

Based on a format from Montreux Films, Nation's Dumbest is executive produced by Ryan O'Dowd, Krystal Whitney and Jenny Groom for BBC Studios. Pip Wells and Pete Cooksley also serve as executive producers in season two, with Wells serving as showrunner.

The Futon Critic
Deadline

posted 10/27/2026

Meghan Markle... MasterChef?
Duchess of Sussex to Guest Judge "Junior MasterChef Australia"
From People

Meghan Markle’s latest TV role has officially been revealed.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, is set to appear on Junior MasterChef Australia.

While reports have suggested that Meghan will host the upcoming season of the reality cooking series, People reports that the Duchess of Sussex will appear as a special guest. Meghan will be in Australia for just a few weeks and that she and her family, including her husband Prince Harry and their kids, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are not relocating there.

Producers confirmed that the series will see host Poh Ling Yeow joined by the Duchess of Sussex, as they “help guide the next generation of young culinary talent,” according to a press release

. “I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” Meghan shared in the press release. “I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to see what they cook up!”

“I’m thrilled to bits that Junior MasterChef is returning to our screens,” Yeow added. “People often ask me whether it might come back, so I know the news will be met with plenty of excitement.”

“I had a lovely time filming with Meghan earlier this year, and being reunited will be a real treat,” Yeow continued. “I can’t wait to meet our pint-sized culinary adventurers - I’m expecting plenty of delicious surprises and a little mischief, too.”

People
ABC News
Variety

posted 10/27/2026


Getty Images
SUSAN SAINT JAMES: 1946-2026
"MacMillan & Wife", "Kate & Allie" Actress Played Games
From Deadline

Susan Saint James, the husky-voiced, Emmy-winning actress who starred in such popular TV series as McMillan & Wife, Kate & Allie and The Name of the Game, died October 26 of pancreatic cancer. She was 80.

Among her survivors are husband Dick Ebersol, the former President of NBC Sports and executive producer of NBC’s Saturday Night Live.

In a statement, Saint James’ family described her as “generous with her time and energy, which she valued more than money, and instinctively drawn to whoever needed lifting up. She taught her children to pause, be kind and look out for other people.

Born Susan Jane Miller on August 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, Saint James was raised in Rockford, Illinois, where she began modeling as a teen. She launched her acting career in a 1966 TV movie called Fame Is the Name of the Game, then booked guest roles in the series Ironside and, when the TV movie became a series titled The Name of the Game, Saint James landed a series-regular role. She won an Emmy for the role in 1969 and was nominated each of the two following years. In 1968, she had a co-starring role in Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows, the sequel to popular comedy The Trouble with Angels.

Other TV episodic work from the era included roles in It Takes a Thief and Alias Smith and Jones, but her early signature role arrived in 1971 when she was cast opposite Rock Hudson in NBC’s light crime drama series McMillan & Wife, a highly popular program that had Saint James portraying the younger wife and partner in crime-solving. The show lasted for six seasons, with its finale on April 24, 1977, but Saint James had departed early over a contract dispute. Her character was killed off in a plane crash and the “& Wife” part of the title was erased. The show didn’t survive another season; by the end of her run, Saint James had received four Emmy nominations for her performance.

Saint James remained a prolific actor following her departure from the successful series, co-starring with Peter Fonda in the film Outlaw Blues (1977), George Hamilton in Love at First Bite (1979) and Jessica Lange and Jane Curtin in How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980).

Saint James and Curtin would reunite four years later in what would become career high points for both stars. Their CBS sitcom Kate & Allie premiered on March 19, 1984, with the two stars portraying divorced mothers (and childhood friends) with children who decide to share a home in New York’s Greenwich Village. Saint James portrayed Kate McArdle, the more free-spirited of the two, with Curtin as the higher-strung conservative Allie Lowell. The combination proved a winner — and would be echoed decades later in the Jane Fonda-Lily Tomlin comedy Grace and Frankie — and the series, created by Sherry Coben, was a hit with critics and audiences, appreciated for its intelligent humor and warm, groundbreaking, chosen-family approach.

Saint James was nominated for two Emmys for her performance as Kate, with Curtin nominated for three and winning two. In all, Saint James had eight Emmy noms — scoring one in five consecutive years from 1969-74 — including the win for her first.

In game shows, Saint James was featured on episodes of Name Droppers, The Game Game, Celebrity Bowling & The Hollywood Squares.

Following Kate & Allie, Saint James largely retired from show business — she’d appear in guest roles periodically — devoting her time to raising a family that included two children from her second marriage, to make-up artist Thomas Lucas, and the three sons she had with third husband, the Saturday Night Live executive producer Ebersol. The couple met when she guest-hosted the NBC sketch comedy in 1981. Tragedy struck on November 28, 2004, when a private plane carrying Ebersol and sons Charles and Teddy crashed at the Montrose Regional Airport in Colorado. Dick and Charles Ebersol survived, but 14-year-old Teddy was killed, along with a pilot and flight attendant. After her son’s death, Saint James often devoted her time working with parents who had lost children.

Saint James is survived by Ebersol, four children, seven grandchildren and sister Mary Mercedes Dewey.

Deadline
Just Jared
TV Line
AP/TV Newscheck
The Wrap
Variety
The Hollywood Reporter

posted 10/27/2026

New Zealand Faces "Tipping Point"
New Version to Play on NZ1
From the Daily Blog

Celebrity Tipping Point NZ premieres on TVNZ 1 on Monday evening. The local adaptation of the well-known British format takes a celebrity angle: each episode of the series features New Zealand celebrities competing not for personal gain but for charities of their choice. The producers promise a broad sweep of local celebrities — so broad, in fact, that they’ll be scraping the bottom of the celebrity barrel.

It is the charitable element that, as became clear during the first week of filming, sets the emotional tone of the programme, transforming a standard daytime quiz show into something far more personal for each participant.

The Daily Blog

posted 10/27/2026

Tuesday Lightning Round
... or "A New Dimension in Fear"



posted 10/22/2026

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